Sealing device for regenerator apparatus



March 25' 1952 J. L. ARMs'rRoNG sEALING DEVICE Foa REGENERATORvAPPARATUS Filed Nov. 25, 1949 INVENTOR. S

A TTORNEKS Patented Mar. 25, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE sEALINGDEVICE Fon REGENERATOR APPARATUS John L. Armstrong, Houston, Tex.,assigner to Eastern VStates Petroleum Co., Inc., Houston, Tex., acorporation of Texas applicati@ November 25, 1949, serial No. 129,275 7Claims. Cl. 213-288) This invention relates to new and usefulimprovements in a sealing device for regenerator apparatus.

In catalytic cracking apparatus the usual re-n generator vessel employsa grid structure in its lower portion and said grid structure includes aplurality of transversely extending members or supportsv which span theinterior of the vessel. It is general practice to support the ends ofsaid members by means of hangers which extend through an annular sealring secured to the inner wall of the vessel, the seal ring beingprovided for the purpose of sealing around the grid supporting structureto prevent the gases within the interior of the vessel from enteringbehind the refractory inner wall of the vessel. The entry of said gasesbehind the inner refractory wall of the vessel is undesirable since saidgases contacting the metallic outer shell of the vessel will erode saidshell and will also unduly heat the shell to cause hot spots on theexterior surface of the vessel.

The usual hanger device which supports the transverse members of thegrid structure extends through the annular seal ring and it has beenfound that the hot gases from within the vessel escape through andaround the openings in the seal ring which are formed for the purpose ofaccommodating the hangers. Thus, the usual seal ring and hangerarrangement has proven ineffective to prevent the hot gases fromentering behind the inner refractory wall of thevessel and contactingthe outer metallic shell thereof.

It is, therefore, one object of this inventionv to provide an improvedmeans for sealing around the usual hanger device which supports the gridstructure of a regenerator vessel, whereby the hot gases within thevessel are sealed off against entry between the inner refractory w-alland the outer metallic shell of the vessel.

An important object of the invention is to provide an improved sealingdevice for sealing the opening within a ring member through which ahanger support extends, which device comprises an enclosure forencompassing the upper portion of the hanger support, whereby any gaseswhich escape upwardly around said hanger are trapped within theenclosure.

Still yanother object is to provide a simple boxlike structure whichencloses the upper portion of a hanger support,v such as isV used inregenerator vessels and which is adapted to be easily weldedto the usualseal ring to effectively seal oif around T the usual--hangeropeningtherein.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed together with other features thereof. Y

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specifica-tion and by reference to the accompanying drawingsforming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown,and wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of an ordinary regenerator vessel to which theimproved sealing device may be applied,

Figure 2 is an isometric view of the usual hanger and illustrating asealing device, constructed in accordance with the invention, enclosingthe upper end thereof,

Figure 3 is a transverse, vertical, sectional view, taken through thehanger and sealing dev ice,

Figure 4 is a horizontal, cross-sectional view, taken on the line 4 4 ofFigure 3, and

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the line 5-5 of Figure4. Y

In the drawings, the numeral I0 designates the regenerator vessel of acatalytic cracking apparatus. As is Well known, the regenerator vessel'is utilized for reactivating spent catalyst which is circulated throughthe system and in the lower portion of the regenerator vessel is a gridstructure which is generally indicated at A. The grid structure includesa plurality of transverselyl extending I-beams II and the ends of saidbeams are adapted to be supported adjacent the inner wall of the vessel.Y

The vessel includes an outer metallic shell- I2 and an inner refractorywall I3. For supporting each end of the I-beam it has been the usualpractice to attach a supporting bracketV I4 tothe inner surface of themetallic shell, the bracket ordinarily being fastened by welding. Ahanger support I5 which is clearly shown in Figure 2 has a generallysquare opening I6 at itsupper end with a similarv opening Il at itslower end. The opening I6r permits the upper portion of the hangersupport to be engaged over the bracket I4 (Figure 2) whereby the supports suspended from said bracket. The 'end of the Ibeam II which extendstransversely withiny the vessel is insertable within the opening I'I ofthel support I5 and thus the beam is properly supported Witl'iin theVessel.

It will be understood that theinterior' of the vessel contains hotlgases ofcombustion land it is desirable that the outer shell I2' ofthevesselA as well as the space between the inner refractory wall and theshell be protected against the` entry of the' hot gases. Inan attempt toprevent these hot gases from passing upwardly intoV the space betweenthe shell I2 and the inner refractory wall I3 a seal ring I8 has beenprovided, and this seal ring extends around the interior of the vesseland has its inner edge I8a welded to the inner wall of the shell. At thepoint where the hanger support I5 extends downwardly the seal ring mustnecessarily be provided with an opening I8b and it has been found thatthe hot gases will escape upwardly through this opening and pass intothe space between the shell and the inner refractory wall of the vessel.

A conventional inner wall structure for the vessel I has beenillustrated and as shown in Figure 3, this structure includes therefractory wall I3 which is supported on the sealing ring I8. Refractoryblocks I3a are arranged annularly about the inner wall between the uppersurface of the beam I I and below the beam additional refractory liningmaterial I3b covers the inner surface of the wall of the vessel. As hasbeen noted a plurality of the beams extend transversely across theinterior of the vessel and support the usual grid structure A. Since itis difficult to provide a tight seal between the refractory material I3aand |31) and the beam II and also between an ordinary metal to metalcontact between the hanger I and the seal ring, the hot gases from theinterior of the vessel have been found to escape upwardly past thehanger to enter th-e space between the outer metallic wall or shell I2and the refractory wall I3 of the vessel.

The present invention is provided for the purpose of effectively sealingoff around the opening |811 in the seal ring and as is clearly shown inFigures 2 and 3, a box-like metallic casing 2li is adapted to enclosethe upper portion of the hanger support I5 and the bracket Irl. Thecasing includes a front side 20a, ends 20o, and a top 20c, with thebottom and outer or rear side of the casing being open. The casing is ofa size to surround the opening ISD within the seal ring I8 and has itslower edges resting upon said seal ring and welded thereto. The rearedges indicated at 20d in Figure 2 abut and engage the inner wallsurface of the shell I2 and these edges are also welded to the shell.Thus, the casing 2U completely encloses the upper portion of the hangersupport and the bracket I4 and completely surrounds the opening leb inthe seal ring.

By observing Figure 3 it will be evident that any of the hot gasespresent within the interior of the vessel which may pass upwardly aroundthe end of the I-beam iI may pass through the opening I8b'in the sealring but upon passing through this opening, such gases will enter theinterior of the casing 20. Since the lower edges of the casing arewelded to the upper surface of the seal ring I8 and since the rear edgesare welded to the inner wall of the shell I2, the gases are trappedwithin the casing and cannot pass upwardly between the refractory walland the metallic shell. It is noted that the hot gases which might enterbehind the Abrick work will result in an erosion of the refractorymaterial and also excessive heating of the outer shell I2 may be caused.Such excessive heating results in creepage and failure of the metal. Theprovision of the enclosure or casing 20 effectively seals around theopening I8b which must be provided in the seal ring I8 to permitextension of the hanger support in a plane below said seal ring. Thedevice is extremely simple and may be readily mounted in place after thehanger support has been assembled on its bracket. When and if removal ofthe bracket is required, it is only necessary to cut the to the wall ofthe vessel, and means welding which attaches the casing to the seal ringand to the shell so that actually the casing is attached in asemi-permanent manner. iThe use of welding for attachment of the casingin proper position around the opening ISD in the seal ring assures agas-tight joint between the casing and the ring and shell.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this into attain all of theforth, together and vention is one well adapted ends and objectshereinabove set with other advantages which are obvious which areinherent to the structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are ofutility and may be employed without reference to other features andsubcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of theclaims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention withoutdeparting from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matterherein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described the invention, I claim'.

1. The combination with a vessel having a metalli-c outer wall and arefarctory inner wall and also having a hang-er assembly mounted on theinner surface of said outer wall with a portion thereof exposed throughthe refractory inner wall to the interior of the vessel, whereby one endof a transverse member may be supported by said hanger, of an annularseal ring secured to the inner surface of the m-etallic outer wall at apoint intermediate the top and bottom of the hanger assembly, said ringhaving an opening therein through which the hanger assembly extends, anda box-like sealing enclosure resting upon the seal ring and securedthereto and encompassing thc upper portion of the hang-er assembly.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sealingenclosure has a portion thereof attached to the inner surface of themetallic shell and also wherein said enclosure is attached to the sealring at its points of contact therewith.

3. In combination, a vessel having a metallic outer wall and arefractory inner wall, a hanger support suspended from the inner surfaceof the metallic wall of said vessel and having a portion thereof exposedthrough an opening in the refractory inner wall, a transverse supportingmember having one end mounted on the hanger support, a seal ring mountedon the inner surface of the metallic outer wall of the vessel and havingthe hanger support extending through an opening therein, and a sealingdevice comprising a casing supported lupon the seal ring surrounding theopening in the ring and enclosing the upper portion of the hangersupport for sealing off around said opening.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3, wherein said casing has oneopen side which is directed toward the inner surface of the metallicouter wall of the vessel with the vertical edges of the casing whichdefine said open side engaging the vessel wall, and means for weldingsaid vertical edges to the wall of the vessel.

5. The combination set forth in claim 3, wherein said casing has oneopen side which is directed toward the inner surface of the metallicouter wall of the vessel with the vertical edges of the casing whichdefine said open side engaging the vessel wall, means for welding saidvertical edges for welding the casing to the sealing ring at the pointsof contact between said casing and ring.

6. In combination, a vessel having a metallic outer `wall and arefractory inner wall, a hanger support suspended from the inner surfaceof the metallic wall of said Vessel and having a portion thereof exposedthrough an opening in the refractory inner wall, a transverse supportingmember having one end mounted on the hanger support, a seal ring mountedon the inner surface of the metallic outer wall cf the vessel and havingthe hanger support extending through an opening therein, and a sealingdevice comprising a casing having three sides and a top with its bottomand one side open and being substantially rectangular in cross-section,said casing being engageable over the upper portion of the hangersupport with its lower edges resting on the seal ring around the openingin said seal ring and its vertical edges which denne the open side of 6said casing engaging the inner surface of the outer metallic wall of thevessel.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 6, wherein the lower edges ofthe casing are welded to the seal ring and also wherein the verticaledges which define the open side of the `casing are welded to the innersurface of the outer metallic wall of the vessel.

JOHN L. ARMSTRONG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1 1,785,790 Ropp Dec. 23, 19302,115,625 Fleshman Apr. 26, 1938

